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UNITED STATES PATENT Games.

VICTOR G. BLOEDE, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

PROCESS OF'IMPROVING THE FINISH AND DURABlLlTY F FABRICS FOR WINDOW-SHADES, dc.

l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 347,315, dated August 1'7, 1886.

Application tiled May 1, 1 8%. Serial No. 200,877. Stecimcns.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIoToR G. BLOEDE, of Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Process of Improving the Finish and Durability of Certain Fabrics known as Shade Oloths, Hollands, Hollenas, and Book or Binders Cloth, which process is fully set forth in the following specification.

My invention relates to that class of textile [o fabrics used for window'shades, book-coverings, and other purposes where the fabrics are exposed to the action oflight, air,and moisture, and by a special preparation of these goods, after dyeing and. sizing, to secure in them a 1 greater resistance to these influences, and

hence greater permanency. Somev of these fabrics as nowfound upon the market are simply dyed or tinted fabrics sized with glue or starch to communicate stiffness and finish, while others are sized withclay and starch, or mixtures of clay, starch, and pigments, and known in the market under various namessuch as hollands, hollenas, shade-cloths, book-cloths, &c. All of these goods as now known to commerce possess the great disadvantage of being free absorbents of water, and hence losing their luster or becoming stained or discolored by exposure to dampness, or by being touched with water. In additionto these disadvantages, the air and moisture, having free access to the interior of the fiber, the goods;especially when exposed to strong light, as in the case of shade-clot-hs, become rapidly discolored or bleached, while the fiber itself becomes weakened and finally destroyed. A further disadvantage of these goods is that, owing to the roughness and porosity of their surface, dust finds ready lodgment, causing in a short time discolorations and stains, and rendering them unsightly. I have been successful in overcoming these difficulties and objections in the fabrics named, and have succeeded in obtaining goods superior in finish and permanency to anything now produced in this line, by so filling the surface or body of the fabric with odorless waxy or resinous matter that they become nonabmbenti. 6., water and air proof.

5:; Goods treated by my process for windowshading possess the great advantage of being,

unlike the oil-pai nted goods, entirely odorless, While equally, if not more, resistant to air and moisture. I accomplish this result by impregnating the fabrics, after they are dyed and sized,and'would ordinarily be considered ready, for the market, with a solution of waxy or resinous matter in some volatile hydrocarbon,

and then exposing the tissue so treated to the action of artificial heat, or air alone, until the volatile matter has been entirely expelled. I have found in the application of this process that, while not essential, it is both desirable and economical to so manage the operation that thewaxy or resinous matter remains coufined to the surface of the goods instead of being allowed to permeate the entire fabric. I accomplish this result in a simple and thorough manner by either of the following processes:

In the first instance the fabric, before being treated with the resistant solution, is slightly dampened; or, what is better, it is used di- Witlfafter the sizing operation has been per formed, and while the fabric is stilldamp from the effects of this operation. The water retained in the finer, as Well as the clay and pigments, if such goods are being operated. upon, acts as a resistant toward the waxy or resinous bodies, and by preventing their absorption confines them to the surface, where, by tl e evaporation of the hydrocarbon, they become fixed.

In the second method, which I have also found fairly effective, I accomplish a similar result by adding to the waxy or resinous solution a small percentage of water, (varying in quantity from oneto ten per cent., according to the nature of the goods operated upon,) and combine these materials by strong agitation into a smooth emulsion. The fabric on being treated with this solution eagerly absorbs the water combined in the emulsiomproduoing results similar to those obtained in the first process, by confining the waxy or resinous matter to the surface of the fabric. If a heavier or fuller impregnation of the goods with waxy matter is desired, the goods are thoroughly dried before treatment, in which case the dissolved waxy or resinous matter is deposited through the entire body of the fabric.

Having thus described fully the principle and object of my process, I will proceed to give the details of its practical application.

I have obtained the best and most economical result by the use of a solution of cottonseed gum or wax in light benzine or benzole; but in lieu of the cotton-seed wax a solution of parafiine, beeswax, stearine, or other similar matter in a volatile hydrocarbon may be employed, or a mixture of these and a resinous body, in order to communicate a greater degree of hardness. The solution of cottonseed wax, or other suitable matter, is best effected by heating the hydrocarbon solvent to a temperature of 80 to 100 Fahrenheit, and then introducing the waxy or resinous matter in a fused state,stirringuntil thoroughly dissolved. In case resin or a similar hard gum is used as an admixture with the waxy matter, I find it desirable to dissolve the resin separately and add the solution so obtained to the solution of waxy matter.

As a type of a solution admirably adapted to the purpose, the following may be given: high-gravity benzine, one gallon; cotton-seed wax, ten to twelve ounces; resin, two to three now sized with starch only,or a mixture of starch, clay, and pigments, and used as shadecloths, book-covers, 800., by impregnating said fabrics (after they have been sized and colored) with a solution of waxy or resinous matter in a volatile hydrocarbon, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

VICTOR G. BLOEDF. \Vitnesses:

T. L. SCHON, E. BLOEDE. 

